Por JEFF CLEMETSON | Mensajero de La Mesa<\/p>\n
On April 15, tragedy struck the Helix High School community when two of its students \u2014 twin 15-year-old sisters, Caira and Leah Cristopher \u2014 were victims of homicide in their Lemon Grove home.<\/p>\n
According to the San Diego County Sheriff\u2019s Department report, 38-year-old Dwayne Edward Groves Jr. was arrested and booked into the San Diego Central Jail shortly after the incident for two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. In addition to the Christopher girls\u2019 murders, 22-year-old Gary Paul Goode was also shot, resulting in non-life-threatening injury, in the Lemon Grove home and Joann Chantel Hoyt, whose relationship to the girls was unclear, was also shot at.<\/p>\n
According to the Sheriff\u2019s report, deputies questioned witnesses and learned that Groves had a prior relationship with the girls\u2019 mother.<\/p>\n
On April 16, Helix students and staff learned of the tragedy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is with great sadness that I have to inform you that two of our 10th grade students have died,\u201d wrote Helix High School Executive Director Kevin Osborn in an email to parents. \u201cOur thoughts and sympathies are with their family and friends. We ask that you please respect and honor the family\u2019s privacy during this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The school made grief counseling available to students.<\/p>\n
Outpouring of support for the victims\u2019 family was immediate. A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for funeral costs for the Chistopher girls by their god sister Mariah Drayton, who wrote that the murders were a \u201csenseless act of gun violence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drayton also described Caira and Leah as the \u201cMost sweetest and humblest twins you would ever meet. Always smiling and happy. And so loved.\u201d<\/p>\n
As of April 23, the Go Fund Me page had more 7,700 shares and 415 donors raising $20,145 \u2014 more than double the initial request.<\/p>\n
To contribute to the fund, visit bit.ly\/2KuWUla<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you have information about the incident, contact the San Diego Sherriff\u2019s Homicide Unit at 858-285-6330.<\/p>\n